Canoness
A Canoness is a command position within the Adepta Sororitas, above a Palatine and below a Prioress.[2b]
Roles and Responsibilities
Inside the Orders Militant, the Canoness is a veteran Battle Sister who has risen through the ranks to eventually command an entire order through their qualities of command, leadership, and sound tactical and strategic knowledge, as well as no small amount of faith. A Canoness is generally the most experienced warrior in the Order, as well as a great spiritual leader. She aims to inspire great devotion in her followers, and in a combat environment can always be found at the front, leading the faithful in battle-hymns.[1b]
A Canoness also oversees the day-to-day activities of the sisters under her command, leads her sisters in prayer, and performs rites of initiation for new sisters to the order.[2b]
A Canoness is officially outranked by the Prioress of her order's convent, but the Prioress may come from any of the orders of the Adepta Sororitas attached to that convent, and thus is not always from the Orders Militant. Because of this, the Prioress may often defer to a Canoness on military matters.[2b]
Variations in Rank Structure
While the smaller lesser orders may only have a single Canoness to lead the entire order, the larger orders, which often number in the thousands, break this rank down further for organizational purposes.[1b]
- Canoness Commander: Commands a commandery of approximately two hundred sisters.
- Canoness Preceptor: Commands a preceptory of approximately one thousand sisters.
- Canoness Superior: Commander of the entire order.
Traditionally, a Canoness of a lesser order is outranked by a Canoness of the major order from which the lesser order was formed.[1b]
Notable Canonesses
- Agnes[5] - of the Order of Our Martyred Lady
- Aspira: Canoness and Saint of the Order of the Bloody Rose who liberated a hundred worlds.[1a]
- Chrisima of the Order of the Argent Shroud
- Jasmine of the Order of the Bloody Rose
- Lunaria of the Order of the Vermilion Hand
- Magda Grace of the Order of the Sacred Rose
- Praxedes: Canoness and Saint of the Order of Our Martyred Lady who martyred herself to allow others to escape the Tyranids.[2a]
- Sariah of the Order of the Sacred Rose
- Selena Agna: Canoness of a preceptory of the Order of the Sacred Rose at Kaurava.[3]
- Soifa
- Veridyan
Sources
- 1: Codex: Witch Hunters
- 2: White Dwarf 379 (US)
- 3: Dawn of War: Soulstorm
- 4: Games-Workshop Canoness (last accessed 12 March 2015)
- 5: Hammer and Anvil (Novel) by James Swallow, Chapters 1, 12, 15
Adepta Sororitas Forces | |
---|---|
Command | Canoness • Sororitas Command Squad • Palatine • Sister Superior • Sister Hospitaller • Sister Dialogus • Sister Famulous • Imagifier • Reliquant at Arms • Dogmata • Hagiolater • Ministorum Priest (Confessor • Missionary) • Ecclesiarchy Battle Conclave (Crusader • Death Cult Assassin • Arco-Flagellant) |
Elites | Celestian (Celestian Sacresant) • Sisters Repentia (Repentia Superior) • Sister Oblatia |
Troops | Battle Sister • Seraphim • Zephyrim • Dominion • Retributor • Novitiate |
Walkers | Penitent Engine • Mortifier • Anchorite • Paragon Warsuit |
Vehicles | Castigator Battle Tank • Rhino • Immolator • Repressor • Exorcist • Mobile Cathedral |
Aircraft | Avenger Strike Fighter • Lightning Strike • Thunderhawk • Aquila Lander • Arvus Lighter |
Characters | Saint Celestine • Morvenn Vahl • Aestred Thurga • Agathae Dolan • Uriah Jacobus • Ephrael Stern • Geminae Superia • Junith Eruita |